How a meat pie from a tiny Bondi bakery inspired a global foodie empire

When chef, restaurateur Guy Turland left his hometown of Bowral in the Southern Highlands of NSW to relocate to Sydney for an apprenticeship at Est aged 17, he moved to Hall Street, Bondi.

It would introduce him to the heart and soul of café culture and inspire him to swap the world of fine dining to run his own café – and eventually a culinary media brand – instead.

“I was working at Est and living in Bondi, doing long hours, catching the bus into the city and didn’t have much money to really enjoy food and café lifestyle in my teens,” recalls Turland, who also worked at Bondi fine-diner Icebergs before opening his own place.

Hall Street, Bondi is home to chef Guy Turland’s cafe and is his favourite shopping and cafe strip. Picture: Myles Davies, Moonlander Media

In those formative years, he’d whet the appetite with a local meat pie at the now shuttered Vietnamese bakery on the corner of Hall St, located near the Post Office at the time.

“It was small family business run by a husband-and-wife team who worked there every day. I remember paying $4 for a meat pie and eating tarts and vanilla slices for $3 each,” he says.

“On my days off, this is what I survived on with next-to no money with a first wage – let’s just say I didn’t have much freedom to choose. But for me, it was seeing those familiar faces and being in a ma and pop shop, that really reminded me of home; that sense of nostalgia.

“The owners knew my name, always with a friendly smile and those type of shops were the glue to local community.”

Guy Turland first moved to Bondi as a teenager. Picture: realcommercial.com.au/buy

He opened his first café The Depot in North Bondi in 2007 with his mother Heather and went on to expand his footprint in Santa Monica, California. He closed the USA store during the pandemic, to focus on his North Bondi café.

The decision to cut back on the international travel made sense given he has become a first-time father – with an almost one year old now. He now runs culinary media business Bondi Harvest, which has led to opportunities including two cook books, ‘The Bondi Harvest TV show: Summer Cooking’ airing on SBS, Food Network and Foxtel (among others) and an appointment as a Nissan ambassador.

Guy Turland first moved to Bondi as a teenager. Picture: realcommercial.com.au/buy

“Arriving in Bondi 21 years ago was really eye opening for someone like me who came from a small country town,” says Turland.

“It was one of the busiest and grimiest of spots back then – and a lot more backpackers than there are now. They’ve all been pushed by the Junction now. You also noticed a lot more local businesses run by families and passed down by generations – it’s what immediately drew me here to want to open a business myself.

“The high street has changed so much now compared to 20 years ago – it’s completely polarising in many ways; and there’s only a handful of small owner operators on the strip now which is a shame.”

Guy Turland’s High Street Memories in Hall Street, Bondi

Hall Street, Bondi is home to chef Guy Turland’s cafe and is his favourite shopping and cafe strip. Picture: Myles Davies, Moonlander Media

A place that’s stood the test of time

Gertrude & Alice Café Bookstore is still one of my favourite cafes in Bondi. Jane Turner is the local operator who has been there for more than 20 years.

It’s lovely to see she’s still kicking goals and operating as they always have. I love the big local community feel on the street, if they were to go the whole strip would change – it wouldn’t have as much heart as she brings to Bondi. Jane is like everyone’s second mum. It’s a sweet and special bond she has with the spirit of Bondi.

Hall Street, Bondi is home to chef Guy Turland’s cafe and is his favourite shopping and cafe strip. Picture: Myles Davies, Moonlander Media

I always order their veggie brekkie burger and a piccolo. That’s where I go and sit and tap out from my own work life and have someone else look after me. I am at The Depot seven days a week – so to have a place that feels like home, where community and family is key and they know everyone – is crucial for me.

Hall Street, Bondi is home to chef Guy Turland’s cafe and is his favourite shopping and cafe strip. Picture: Myles Davies, Moonlander Media

Except I don’t have to clear plates or bring out the food! Cafes are friendly; it’s where people get support and the reason I swapped from fine dining to café culture. I like that connection to others. A restaurant is a place you eat, and a café is a place you live – and it’s what Aussie cafes do so well compared to anywhere around the world.

From fish shop to cocktail bar

There used to be an old aquarium business called Beach Aquariums [on Glenayr Avenue]. I’d buy salt water fish for a fish tank regularly. It was run down and mouldy and I don’t know how [the owner] lasted in business as long as he did!

Hall Street, Bondi is home to chef Guy Turland’s cafe and is his favourite shopping and cafe strip. Picture: Myles Davies, Moonlander Media

Now it’s been turned into a cocktail bar called Makaveli which is absolutely crushing it. It has a beach feel to it and they make fantastic coffee. They also have a running group which is very popular with the locals. It’s run by Jacob Hill and Phill Cooke – two guys from the UK who grabbed this spot about 10 minutes from the beach.

New kid on the block

VRTUS is a new local gym we go to regularly. It’s run by two Tassie personal trainers who came to Bondi. They have created a great atmosphere and connection to community which is great.

Hall Street, Bondi is home to chef Guy Turland’s cafe and is his favourite shopping and cafe strip. Picture: Myles Davies, Moonlander Media

We do a staff training session with VRTUS every Thursday as a way to make sure our staff are happy and healthy working as a team. They also have a new location opening on Bondi Road and we’ll take the café within that space this summer – a spot to go for coffee, healthy snacks and salads.

Turland’s own community at The Depot cafe

Hall Street, Bondi is home to chef Guy Turland’s cafe and is his favourite shopping and cafe strip. Picture: Myles Davies, Moonlander Media

Running our own business in Bondi for the last 17 years has been quite rewarding; it’s all about fresh food that’s light and perfect after a surf and swim.

It’s our connection to community I love most, where people come to have conversations and know the others who come here too. From the outside, Bondi looks like a tourist trap or an expensive place to live, but what I love is the mix of cultures and people from different financial situations who still sit together and exist as one.

Hall Street, Bondi is home to chef Guy Turland’s cafe and is his favourite shopping and cafe strip. Picture: Myles Davies, Moonlander Media

The longer you live here the more you realise that this place has a lot of history and a small-time mentality where everyone looks out for each other. I knew this is where I wanted to stay long term when I arrived all those years ago, and having a café here was a natural part of that.